Hay-fork



(No Model.)

' s. s. WILSON? HAY FORK.

No. (297,900. Patented Apr. 29, 1884.-

u PHERS Phulo-Lithognphm Walhinton. m d

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

SULLIVAN S. WILSON, OF LITGHFIELD, MICHIGAN.

HAY- FORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,900, dated April 29, 1884-.

' Application filed October ll, 1883. i (No model.)

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SULLIVAN S. WILSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Litchfield, in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Hay- Forks; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference'being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in hay-forks, its object being to provide a fork of the harpoon class with side arms which will securely hold the hay or straw upon said fork; and to this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter more fullyset forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the hay-fork in position to be inserted in full lines, and the prongs thrown out and the side arms closed in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

A A represent two longitudinal side bars, to which the point A is rigidly attached, the whole forming a sheath. Rigidly secured to these side bars is a block, B, to which are pivoted the arms 0 O, which lie within slots 0 0, formed in the block B. The side bars, A A, are connected to each other at their upper end, so as to form the slot a, within which slides the bar D, which carries at its lowerend two pivoted prongs, d, which are curved, as shown.

The lower ends of the side bars, A A, above the point are provided with slots 1), through which pass the prongs d, and the lower ends of theseslots are provided with a curved metallic plate, 41, which is secured within the slot and extends over the lower portions of the same. This plate (1 forms a smooth bearing-surface for the prongs d d when they are forced downwardly and outwardly. The sliding bar D, to which the prongs d are pivoted, extends upwardly and passes through the block B, and is rigidly secured to the headpiece E, which head-piece slides upon the side bars, A A, and is prevented from being with drawn from said side bars by the end of the sliding bar D coming in contact with the block 6 between said side bars. The block E is provided with a central cut-away portion, E, adjacent to which are two outwardly-projecting ears, f, between which is pivoted the lever F. This lever is provided with a camhead, as shown,which is adapted to be brought into contact with the side bars, A A, so that when said lever4is raised the parts will be secured upon each other rigidly, and a sliding movement will not be permitted. The outer end of this lever is provided with a notch, f, and also with aperforation, through which passes the tripping-cord. This notch is arranged to engage with the block B, for the purpose of holding the sliding bar D in a raised position, as shown in Fig. l in full lines, in which position the harpoon is insert ed in the hay. The upper part of the block E is provided with a bail or loop, to which the rope for raising and lowering the fork is attached, and to each side of this head-block are attached cords c, which are secured to the side arms, 0. These cords are of such a length that when the block E is raised the arms will be raised to the position shown in Fig. 1. If desirable, instead of these cords, sliding bars suitably slotted may be employed.

From the foregoing description and illustrations in the accompanying drawings the operation and construction of my invention, I believe, will be fully understood by those skilled in the art.

. What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I 1. In a hay-fork, the combination of the sheath provided with the block B, the sliding bar carried within said sheath, the prongs d d, pivoted to the lower end of said sliding bar, the sliding head-block E, rigidly attached to said sliding bar, the cam-lever F,

pivoted on said head-block, the side arms, 0

O, pivoted to the blocks B, and the connecting-cords c a, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a hay fork, the bars A A, the block B, secured to said bars, the sliding bar carrying prongs, the block E, rigidly attached to said sliding bar, the eain-1ever pivoted on said block and provided with a notch at its outer end, the arms 0 O, pivoted to the block 13, and cords c 0, connecting said arms and said block E, the parts being arranged and combined substantially as and for the purpose set fort-11.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SULLIVAN S. XVILSON.

Witnesses:

L. B. Woomuu), J. E. MOORE. 

